Hudson County college students say Dharun Ravi needed to be held responsible for his actions

Halfa Mirzati knows what it's like to have a difficult roommate. She and her freshman year roommate at St. Peter's College in Jersey City were at odds for most of the year.

But she said that even with the tension, she would never think her roommate would set up a video camera in their room like what happened in a Rutgers University dorm last year between former Rutgers student Dharun Ravi and his roommate Tyler Clementi.

Ravi was found guilty yesterday of a hate crime, evidence tampering and invasion of privacy, for secretly using a webcam to spy on Clementi in an intimate setting with another man. Clementi committed suicide days after learning that Ravi had watched his encounter on a webcam set up in their room. Ravi was not charged in connection with

Clementi's death, but the bias and privacy case was closely watched and attracted national media attention.

Ravi faces up to 10 years in prison, with possible deportation to his native India.

"He definitely crossed a line," Mirzati said. "I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have a roommate that violates my privacy. I'm sure it was unbearable."

Even with the sympathy for Clementi, she said the maximum sentence of 10 years in jail is "excessive," noting that the media scrutiny is a huge part of his punishment.

Raveni Lakshini, a student at St. Peter's College, said Ravi's motives were most likely fueled by a need to fit in, and he should be punished for his actions. He invaded Clementi's privacy, she said, and should be responsible for that.

"He was a new student trying to fit in so he picked on the weakest link," she said.

Clementi's suicide started a nation-wide movement to combat bullying and hate to prevent further tragedies, especially on college campuses.

Since Clementi's death, Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken began pushing its already-existing Safe Zone Ally Program with fundraisers on campus to promote equality and acceptance of lesbian, gay and transgender students.

Stevens student Rebecca Heusen, who was involved with the fundraiser, called Clementi's death "tragic," and said Ravi deserves a full punishment.

"He took advantage of a guy because he is gay," she said. "That's a hate crime."

Some, like Stevens student Justin Chu, said the verdict should be a wake-up call for college students to consider repercussions for their actions, and that college is not an excuse to mess around.

"It's not like college is this magic world where we are free from the law," he said. "This should really make people think about their actions before they do them."